Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey88 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8525
Phone: 732.932.5000
Cooperative ExtensionDeborah Pinto, Rutgers Master Gardener of Burlington County
Meredith Melendez, Horticulture Consultant, Burlington County
Incorporating Native Plants in Your Residential Landscape
Fact Sheet FS1140
What are Native Plants?The term native plant is fluid and can have many different meanings. In general, native plants are species that were present at the beginning of the European settlement of North America. These plants , over time, have evolved to grow in a specific region. Native plants have established complex relationships with other native plants, insects and animals, some of which are dependent on one another to thrive. Generally, native plants naturally occur within a radius of 100 miles of your area and many can do well with a minimum of care once established.
Why Consider Native Plants?Native plants have evolved to thrive in a specific region, and within specific ecosystems. These plants, when situated in the proper environment, support their ecosystems more diversely than exotic plantings. While many homeowners have incor-porated flowering plants in their landscapes to attract certain birds and butterflies, the habitat needed to support insect life is greatly needed. Exotic plants may offer a nectar source for wildlife, but in many cases their leaves, fruits, pollen and nectar are not the preferred food of our vital native insects and wild-life. The lack of proper habitat and food sources for native birds and insects is one factor in the decline of many of these species in the United States.
The reliance on standard exotic landscape plants leads to predictable landscapes regardless of the region. This creates a loss of regional aesthetic identity. Homeowners who desire for pristine landscapes have created residential properties devoid of leaf and plant litter. With proper planning you can maintain a more natural landscape using native plants, saving money on fertilizers and achieving a lower maintenance landscape.
When considering the use of native plants in your residential garden, it is necessary to identify your landscape goals and to assess conditions in your landscape to guide your selection of the most appropriate native plants for your property.
Identify Your Landscape Goals • Reduce maintenance and use of fertilizers and pesticides. • Incorporate native plants by replacing plants that are not
doing well; adding natives to an existing landscape; or systematically replacing exotic plants with natives.
• Transition the landscape to reflect the native plants of my region.
• Provide habitat for certain native species to successfully reproduce.
• Provide a food source for native wildlife and insects.
Native Landscape Planning ConsiderationsThe key to success is to prepare a working plan and amend it as you progress. Here are some things to consider:
• Determine the desired length of time to transition your landscape to native plants.
• Inventory what plants, native or exotic, you already have on your property.
• Set a goal of the number or percentage of natives you want in your landscape, and identify the exotic plants you want to replace.
• Take into consideration any special uses you would like to highlight in the plant such as producing food for you and/or wildlife, seasonal color and textures, fragrance, etc.
• Know the growth habit of the plants, including their mature size, rate of growth, and ability to spread or stay where planted in the landscape.
• Strive for a mixture of plants that provide continuous color in the garden, thereby offering more nectar and pollen sources, resulting in a more sustainable landscape.
Assessing Current Landscape ConditionsThere are three elements to successful planting that you must consider for each specific space on your property. These individual assessments are necessary since conditions can vary on your property depending on the location.
1. Is the soil mostly sand, silt or clay textured? Wet, or well drained? Is the soil acidic, neutral or alkaline? If you don’t know, contact your county Cooperative Extension office for a soil test for a minimal fee.
2. What amount of sun light is available throughout the day? Full sun equals 6+ hours of direct sunlight, part sun equals 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight, part shade equals 2 to 4 hours of direct sunlight and shade equals less than 2 hours of direct sunlight.
3. How much water is available by natural means? You must be willing to commit to watering any new plants when there’s inadequate rainfall to get them established the first year.
Picking the Right Plants Now the fun part begins by identifying what native plants you’d like for your landscape. Table 1 identifies native plants that tend to be more readily available through local nurseries and plant catalogs. Keep in mind that your native plants, if situated properly, will grow readily so consider buying smaller sized plants. Smaller sized plants also adapt better to their new locations and often catch up in size to larger sized plants within a few years.
Where to Buy Native PlantsIt is important to emphasize that you should not acquire native plants from the wild. Purchase your plants from a reputable dealer using plant species native to your area. If you’re having trouble finding any of these plants, you can either ask your local nursery if they can order it for you, or check out one of the website links provided.
Suggested ReadingField Guide to Wildflowers of North America, D.M. Brandenburg, 2010, Sterling Press. Armitages Native Plants for North American Gardens, A.A. Arimitage, 2006, Timber Press. Bringing Nature Home, Douglas Tallamy, 2009, Timber Press. Plant Communities of New Jersey, K.H. Anderson and B.R. Collins, 1994, Rutgers Press. Native Plants of the North East, Donald J. Leopold, 2005, Timber Press.
Suggested WebsitesNative Plant Society of NJ, www.npsnj.org National Wildlife Federation; Backyard Wildlife Habitat; www.nwf.org/habitatsNational Parks Service, Plants Conservation Alliance, www.nps.gov/plants/Wild-Ones, Native Plant Landscaping, www.for-wild.orgUSDA Plants Database, www.plants.usda.govNew Jersey Natural Resource Conservation Service, www.nj.nrcs.usda.gov/plants.html
Figure CaptionsPage 1 (l-r): Eupatorium purpureum, Geranium maculatum, Asclepias tuberose. Page 2 (t-b): Cornus sericea, Lobelia cardinalis, Clethra alnifolia
Tab
le 1
. Nor
thea
ster
n U
.S.,
Mid
-Atla
ntic
Sta
tes
Nat
ive
Plan
t Re
com
men
datio
ns
Com
mon
Nam
eLa
tin N
ame
Soil
Type
Sunl
ight
Hei
ght &
Gro
wth
Com
men
ts
TREE
S
Am
eric
an E
lmU
lmus
am
eric
ana
'Prin
ceto
n'A
vera
geFu
ll su
n10
0 ft
., ra
pid
New
cul
tiva
r re
sist
ant t
o D
utch
Elm
dis
ease
.
Am
eric
an H
olly
Ilex
opac
aA
vera
geFu
ll su
n-p
t. sh
ade
30 f
t, sl
ow
Ever
gree
n. N
eed
mal
e &
fem
ale
for
red
berr
ies.
Am
eric
an H
ornb
eam
Car
pinu
s ca
rolin
iana
Ave
rage
-moi
stFu
ll su
n-p
t. sh
ade
30 f
t., s
low
Can
't to
lera
te d
roug
ht, n
ice
smal
l sha
de t
ree.
Bal
d C
ypre
ssTa
xodi
um d
istic
hum
Dry
-moi
stFu
ll su
n10
0 ft
., ra
pid
Thri
ves
in w
et o
r dr
y so
ils, c
onife
r sh
eds
need
les
in fa
ll.
Eas
tern
Red
Ced
arJu
nipe
rus
virg
inia
naA
vera
geSu
n-p
t. sh
ade
40
-60
Ft, s
low
Ever
gree
n. R
esis
tant
to
drou
ght.
Eas
tern
Red
Oak
Que
rcus
rub
raA
vera
ge-m
oist
Full
sun
-pt.
shad
e80
ft.,
mod
erat
eTo
lera
tes
pollu
tion,
fall
folia
ge.
Eas
tern
Red
bud
Cer
cis
cana
dens
isA
vera
geSu
n-p
t. sh
ade
30 f
t., m
oder
ate
Mag
enta
flow
ers
in e
arly
spr
ing;
dro
ught
re
sist
ant.
Eas
tern
Whi
te P
ine
Pinu
s st
robu
sA
vera
geSu
n-p
t. sh
ade
100
Ft, r
apid
Ever
gree
n.
Flo
wer
ing
dogw
ood
Cor
nus
flori
daA
vera
geP
t. Su
n-s
hade
30 F
t., m
oder
ate
Whi
te fl
ower
s in
spr
ing;
fall
folia
ge.
Paw
paw
Asi
min
a tr
iloba
Ave
rage
Sun
-pt.
shad
e25
ft.,
slo
wFl
avor
ful,
edib
le fr
uit i
n fa
ll; n
eed
two
for
polli
natio
n.
Pin
Oak
Que
rcus
pal
ustr
isA
cid,
avg
-moi
stFu
ll su
n-p
t. su
n70
-90
ft.,
rapi
dEa
sy k
eepe
r, ro
ots
won
't bu
ckle
pav
ing;
pro
duce
s ac
orns
.
Red
Map
leA
cer
rubr
umD
ry-m
oist
Sun
-pt.
shad
e4
0-6
0 ft
., ra
pid
Red
fall
folia
ge, e
asy
keep
er.
Riv
er B
irch
Bet
ula
nigr
aA
vera
ge-m
oist
Full
sun
-pt.
sun
40
-60
ft.,
rapi
dPe
elin
g ba
rk a
dds
inte
rest
, doe
s w
ell i
n so
ggy
area
s.
Sug
ar M
aple
Ace
r sa
ccha
rum
Ave
rage
-moi
stSu
n-p
t. sh
ade
60
-70
ft.,
slow
Goo
d sh
ade
tree
, bri
ght f
all f
olia
ge.
SHR
UB
S
Bea
rber
ryA
rcto
stap
hylo
s uv
a-ur
siD
ry -
ave
rage
Sun
-sha
de6
-12"
Ever
gree
n lo
w g
row
ing
shru
b, r
ed b
erri
es.
Hig
hbus
h bl
uebe
rry
Vacc
iniu
m c
orym
bosu
mA
cid,
moi
stFu
ll su
n-p
t. sh
ade
6-1
2'Ex
celle
nt fa
ll co
lor,
edib
le fr
uit.
Hol
lyle
aved
Bar
berr
yM
ahon
ia a
quifo
lium
Ave
rage
Sun
-pt.
shad
e8
ft.,
mod
erat
eEv
ergr
een.
Dro
ught
tol
eran
t.
Ink
berr
y H
olly
Ilex
glab
raA
cid,
moi
stFu
ll su
n-p
t. sh
ade
4-8
' Ev
ergr
een,
sm
all b
lack
ber
ries
.
Mou
ntai
n La
urel
Kalm
ia la
tifol
iaA
cid,
avg
-moi
stPa
rt S
un-s
hade
7-15
ft.,
slo
wEv
ergr
een.
Whi
te fl
ower
s in
spr
ing.
Mul
ch w
ell.
Nor
ther
n B
aybe
rry
Mor
ella
pen
sylv
anic
a D
ry -
moi
stFu
ll su
n-p
t. sh
ade
5-8
ft.,
rap
idTo
ugh
plan
t thr
ives
in a
ll so
il ty
pes.
Nor
ther
n Sp
iceb
ush
Lind
era
benz
oin
Ave
rage
-moi
stFu
ll su
n-p
t. su
n12
ft.,
slo
wW
hite
or
yello
w fl
ower
s in
spr
ing,
yel
low
folia
ge
in fa
ll.
Pas
ture
ros
eR
osa
caro
lina
Dry
- a
vera
geSu
n-s
hade
6-1
2"Fr
agra
nt 2
" w
ide
pink
flow
ers.
Red
Cho
kebe
rry
Aro
nia
arbu
tifol
iaD
ry -
moi
stPa
rt s
un-p
t. sh
ade
6-1
0'B
eaut
iful f
all f
olia
ge, r
ed fr
uits
.
Red
stem
Dog
woo
dC
ornu
s se
rice
aA
vera
ge-m
oist
Full
sun
12 f
t., m
oder
ate
Has
bri
ght r
ed s
tem
s if
prun
ed in
fall.
Fal
l fol
iage
.
Ser
vice
berr
y A
mel
anch
ier
alni
folia
Ave
rage
-moi
stSu
n-p
t. sh
ade
8-1
2 ft
., m
oder
ate
Tast
y ed
ible
frui
t in
earl
y su
mm
er; e
asy
keep
er.
Sou
ther
n A
rrow
-woo
dVi
burn
um d
enta
tum
Aci
d, a
vera
geSu
n-p
t. sh
ade
3-8
ft.,
slo
wW
hite
flow
ers
in s
prin
g, fa
ll fr
uit f
or b
irds.
Sum
mer
swee
tC
leth
ra a
lnifo
liaA
cid,
moi
stFu
ll su
n-p
t. sh
ade
5-8
'La
te s
umm
er fl
ower
s.
Vir
gini
a sw
eets
pire
Itea
virg
inic
aM
oist
- a
vera
geFu
ll su
n-p
t sha
de3
-6'
Long
last
ing
fall
colo
r.
Win
terb
erry
Ilex
vert
icill
ata
Aci
d, a
vg-m
oist
Full
sun
-pt.
sun
6-1
0 ft
., m
oder
ate
Ever
gree
n. N
eed
mal
e &
fem
ale
for
red
berr
ies.
© 2
010
Rut
gers
, The
Sta
te U
nive
rsity
of N
ew Je
rsey
. All
right
s res
erve
d.Fo
r a
com
preh
ensi
ve li
st o
f our
pub
licat
ions
vis
it w
ww
.nja
es.ru
tger
s.ed
u
Dec
embe
r 20
10C
oope
ratin
g A
genc
ies:
R
utge
rs, T
he S
tate
Uni
vers
ity o
f New
Jers
ey, U
.S. D
epar
tmen
t of A
gric
ultu
re, a
nd C
ount
y B
oard
s of C
hose
n Fr
eeho
lder
s. R
utge
rs C
oope
rativ
e Ex
tens
ion,
a u
nit o
f the
Rut
gers
New
Jers
ey A
gric
ultu
ral E
xper
imen
t Sta
tion,
is a
n eq
ual o
ppor
tuni
ty p
rogr
am p
rovi
der a
nd e
mpl
oyer
.
Phot
o cr
edit
s: P
age
1 (l
): G
eorg
e H
. Bru
so, (
c &
r):
Sal
ly a
nd A
ndy
Was
owsk
i; pa
ge 2
(t
& b
):
Sally
and
And
y W
asow
ski;
(c):
Hen
ry D
omke
.
Rutg
ers,
The
Sta
te U
nive
rsity
of N
ew J
erse
y88
Lip
man
Driv
e, N
ew B
runs
wic
k, N
J 08
901-
8525
Phon
e: 7
32.9
32.5
000
Com
mon
Nam
eLa
tin N
ame
Soil
Type
Sunl
ight
Hei
ght &
Gro
wth
Com
men
ts
PER
REN
IALS
Bla
ck E
yed
Susa
nR
udbe
ckia
hir
taA
vera
geFu
ll su
n1-
2 ft
.Ye
llow
or
oran
ge fl
ower
s al
l sum
mer
.
Bun
chbe
rry
Dog
woo
dC
ornu
s ca
nade
nsis
Aci
d, a
vera
gePa
rt s
un-s
hade
3-6
inch
es, s
low
Gro
undc
over
. Whi
te fl
ower
s in
spr
ing,
red
ber
ries
in
fall.
But
terfl
y W
eed
Asc
lepi
as tu
bero
saD
ry-a
vera
geFu
ll su
n2
ft.
Ora
nge
sum
mer
blo
oms,
hos
t to
mon
arch
ca
terp
illar
s.
Car
dina
l Flo
wer
Lo
belia
car
dina
lisA
vera
ge-m
oist
Part
sun
-pt.
shad
e3
ft.
Red
flow
ers
in s
umm
er, a
ttra
cts
hum
min
gbird
s.
Chr
istm
as F
ern
Poly
stic
hum
acr
ostic
hoid
esD
ry-a
vera
gePa
rt s
un-s
hade
Smal
l fer
n.
Den
se B
lazi
ng S
tar
Liat
ris
spic
ata
Ave
rage
Full
sun
-pt.
sun
1-3
ft.
Purp
le s
pike
d flo
wer
in s
umm
er.
Eas
tern
Joe
Pye
Wee
dEu
pato
rium
dub
ium
Moi
st
Sun
-pt.
shad
e3
-4 f
t.Pu
rple
flow
ers
in s
umm
er, a
ttra
cts
butt
erfli
es &
bi
rds.
Eas
tern
tea
berr
yG
aulth
eria
pro
cum
bens
Aci
d, a
vera
gePa
rt s
un-s
hade
3-6
inch
es,
mod
erat
eEv
ergr
een
grou
ndco
ver.
Whi
te fl
ower
s in
spr
ing,
fr
agra
nt.
Fal
se S
unflo
wer
Hel
iops
is h
elia
ntho
ides
Dry
-moi
stFu
ll su
n3
-5'
Long
blo
omin
g, fr
om J
une
to S
epte
mbe
r.
Foa
m fl
ower
Tiar
ella
cor
difo
liaA
vera
ge-m
oist
Pt.
shad
e-sh
ade
1.5
-2'
Soft
flow
ers
on a
spi
ke fr
om t
he c
ente
r of
the
pl
ant.
Gol
den
ticks
eed
Cor
epos
is ti
ncto
ria
Ave
rage
-moi
stSu
n-p
t. su
n1-
3 ft
.Ye
llow
tin
y da
isy-
like
flow
ers
all s
umm
er; c
an b
e in
vasi
ve.
Gre
at B
lue
Lobe
liaLo
belia
sip
hilit
ica
Moi
st -
wet
Full
sun
-pt.
shad
e3
ft.
Bea
utifu
l blu
e flo
wer
s, a
ttra
cts
butt
erfli
es.
Gre
y G
olde
nrod
Solid
ago
nem
oral
isD
ry, p
oor
Full
sun
-pt.
shad
e2'
tal
lSh
owy
yello
w p
lum
es id
eal f
or d
ry g
arde
n si
tes.
New
Eng
land
Ast
erA
ster
nov
ae-a
nglia
eD
ry -
ave
rage
Sun
-pt.
shad
e2-
6 ft
.Pu
rple
flow
ers
late
sum
mer
. Att
ract
s be
es &
bu
tter
flies
.
Pin
k Ti
ckse
edC
oreo
psis
ros
eaA
cid,
avg
-moi
stFu
ll su
n-p
t. sh
ade
18-2
4 in
ches
Pink
dai
sy-l
ike
sum
mer
blo
oms;
can
be
inva
sive
.
Pur
ple
Con
eflow
erEc
hina
cea
purp
urea
Ave
rage
Full
sun
2 ft
.Pu
rple
sum
mer
blo
oms,
gol
dfinc
hes
love
its
seed
s!
Roy
al F
ern
Osm
unda
reg
alis
Ave
rage
-moi
stSh
ade
6 ft
., m
oder
ate
Bea
utifu
l lar
ge fe
rn, h
as fa
ll co
lor.
Tru
mpe
t Hon
eysu
ckle
Loni
cera
sem
perv
iren
sA
vera
ge-m
oist
Full
sun
-pt.
sun
10-2
0 ft
., ra
pid
Clim
bing
vin
e w
ith r
ed o
r or
ange
blo
oms
in
sum
mer
.
Wild
ger
aniu
mG
eran
ium
mac
ulat
umA
vera
geFu
ll su
n-p
t. sh
ade
2'Lo
w g
row
ing
mou
ndin
g pl
ant t
hat
spre
ads
easi
ly.
Bon
eset
Eupa
tori
um p
erfo
liatu
mA
vera
ge-m
oist
Full
sun
-sha
de3
-6'
Flat
top
ped
flow
er c
lust
ers
that
blo
om f
rom
sp
ring
to
fall.